An Open Letter to the People of Tasmania – Proposed Macquarie Point Stadium

 

19 April 2025

 

An Open Letter to the People of Tasmania

RE: The Proposed Macquarie Point Stadium

To the people of Braddon and all Tasmanians,

As your independent candidate for the federal seat of Braddon, I feel it is important to clearly state my position on the proposed Macquarie Point Stadium in Hobart.

I do not support the stadium.

This is not a decision made lightly, nor is it based on politics or ideology. It is grounded in what I believe are the urgent priorities of Tasmanians today—and what future generations will thank us for tomorrow.

Why I oppose the stadium:

  1. The cost is spiralling out of control.
    Originally estimated at $715 million, we now know the stadium could blow out to over $1.2 billion, according to independent reports. That is a staggering sum—particularly when our public systems are starved of resources. To put it bluntly: Tasmania cannot afford it. And taxpayers should not be left to foot the bill for decades to come.
  2. It’s fiscally reckless during a time of crisis.
    Our state is facing a housing emergency, a healthcare staffing shortage, and crushing cost-of-living pressures. Tasmanians are struggling with rent hikes, food insecurity, and long waits for critical medical care. This kind of extravagance is an insult to those doing it tough.
  3. It diverts money from where it’s truly needed.
    The money earmarked for this stadium could transform lives—by funding public housing, improving rural hospitals, expanding mental health support, and fixing our ageing education infrastructure. Instead, we’re being sold a monument to vanity and politics.
  4. It saddles future generations with debt.
    Once construction begins, cost blowouts become near-certainties, and ongoing maintenance will be passed on to our kids and grandkids. We should be building a future that frees them—not one that chains them to the past mistakes of poor political judgment.
  5. It is a state vanity project with federal implications.
    While this is a state-led project, it’s drawing in federal funding and national attention. I believe that when federal money is being spent irresponsibly—especially when rural and regional communities are being neglected—it is my duty to call it out.

What I stand for instead:

I stand for building homes before stadiums.
I stand for funding hospitals, not hype.
I stand for investing in the grassroots, not in elite showpieces.

Let’s invest in a Tasmania where people can find housing, afford healthcare, and send their kids to a strong public school. Let’s strengthen community sports across Braddon, not build a billion-dollar stadium that will mostly benefit big corporate interests and political egos.

Let’s be bold—but let’s be smart.

Tasmania has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to choose people over prestige—to build a future that is sustainable, affordable, and genuinely proud.

Let’s not waste it on a stadium.

Sincerely,

Adam Martin

Independent Federal Candidate for Braddon